Berberine, palmatine and coptisine in Coptidis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Cortex and their oriental pharmaceutical preparations were determined by ion pair high performance liquid chromatography. Coptidis Rhizoma obtained in China had two unknown peaks which were not detected in that of Japan, and the ratios of palmatine to berberine in Chinese sample were ranged from 9.1 to 41.5%, meanwhile those in Japanese sample were from 1.4 to 4.8%. Discrimination between Chinese sample and Japanese one is possible from the ratio of these alkaloids. On the other hand, regarding Phellodendri Cortex constitutive difference between Chinese sample and Japanese one was not obtained. The recoveries of the alkaloids in the decoction of oriental pharmaceutical preparation were lower by 5093% than that of the powders, and those in even shichimotsukoka-to which did not contain Glycyrrhizae Radix and Rhei Rhizoma were decreased in its decoction was lower by about 50% than the powder. It was suggested that there were any components in Paeoniae Radix, Cnidii Rhizoma and Uncariae Ramulus which interacted with berberine-type alkaloids.
